John Wilkinson, guitarist for Elvis, dies aged 67
Written by admin on January 11, 2013 – 11:00 pm -American guitarist John Wilkinson, who was best known for playing with Elvis Presley’s TCB Band, has died aged 67.
Wilkinson was born in Washington D.C. on July 3, 1945 and grew up in Springfield, Missouri. After playing with a high school folk group called The Coachmen, Wilkinson headed to California and became a successful session musician. He also released several singles of his own in the late 1960s, including “July, You’re a Woman,” “(You’ve Got) Nothing to Be Ashamed Of,” and “The Last Resort”.
Wilkinson joined the TCB Band for Elvis’ return to live performance in 1969 and remained a core member of the band until Elvis’ last concert in June 1977. He also played on Elvis’ studio recordings from 1972 to 1976, including the hits “Burning Love” and “Way Down”.
When not working with Elvis in the 1970s, Wilkinson sometimes performed on stage with the Kingston Trio.
After suffering a stroke in 1989, Wilkinson was paralysed on his left side and could no longer play the guitar. He continued to entertain Elvis fans for years to come with his recollections of his time playing with the rock ‘n’ roll legend.
Kathy Westmoreland, who was a singer in Elvis’ band, paid tribute to Wilkinson on her Facebook page:
| “I will forever love you, Johnny. So many memories of our times together. You were always so positive, joyful, thoughtful. I will miss you terribly.” |
Wilkison is survived by his wife Terry.
Tags: Elvis Presley, John Wilkinson, John Wilkinson death, TCB Band
Posted in Elvis, Obituaries |
